Gemara:What is meant by these "yechidim" {individuals}?Rav Huna said: The Sages.And Rav Huna said: The yechidim fast three fasts, on Monday, Thursday, and Monday.A brayta also says so: The yechidim fast Monday, Thursday and Monday, and interrupt for Rosh Chodesh, and for the festivals mentioned in Megillat Taanit.

And now that Megillat Taanit is nullified, they do not interrupt except for Chanukka and Purim.And this is specifically for an individual, but for the public, no. For they learnt {tnan}: They do not decree a fast on the public on Rosh Chodesh, Chanukka, and Purim, and if they began, they do not interrupt {even for these}.

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: One should not say, "I am merely a 'talmid' and am not fit for this {to fast}." Rather, all 'talmidim' are fit for this.Who is a yachid and who is a talmid?A yachid: that he is fit to be appointed a parnas {leader} on the community.A talmid: that they can ask him a halachic matter in any place {topic} and he will be able to say it, and even in masechet kallah.

{Note: Bach discusses whether the word אין should be present. He thinks it should, but Ran seems not to have it. See inside.}The Sages learnt {in a brayta}Not all who wishes to make himself a yachid can make himself. And the talmidim may (or may not, depending on one's girsa} make themselves yechidim. These are the words of Rabbi Meir.Rabbi Yehuda says: He may make {himself one}, and is remembered for good, for it is not a benefit to him but rather an aggravation to him.

Another brayta: An am haAretz who wishes to make himself a yachid may not do so. But the talmidim may do so. These are the words of Rabbi Shimon ben Eleazar. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Something which is to his benefit he may not do, something to his aggravation he may do.

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: One who was fasting for a sick person, and he {the sick person} for better; regarding a calamity and it passed; he should finish his fast.One who travels from a place where they are fasting to a place where they are not fasting, he should finish his fast.From a place where they are not fasting to a place where they are fasting, he should fast with them.If he forgot and ate and drank, he should not make himself seen before them, nor should he now eat plenty.

{Taanit 11a}Rav Yehuda cited Rav: Anyone who makes himself hunger (by fasting) in a year of famine is saved from an unusual death, for it is written {Iyyov 5:20}:

כ בְּרָעָב, פָּדְךָ מִמָּוֶת; וּבְמִלְחָמָה, מִידֵי חָרֶב.

20In famine He will redeem thee from death; and in war from the power of the sword.

It should have said "he will redeem you from death from famine" {rather that "in/with hunger he will redeem you from death"}Rather, since he caused himself to hunger in years of famine {fasting for a salvation}, he is saved from an unusual death.

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: At a time when the community is dwelling in pain, if an individual separates from them, the ministering angels who accompany him place their hands on his head and say, "Ploni, who separated from the community shall not see the comforting of the community."

Another brayta: At a time that the community dwells in pain, one should not say, "I will go and eat and drink, and peace will be upon my soul." And if he does this, upon his Scriptures says {Yeshaya 22:13}

And anyone who pains himself with the community will merit to see in the comfort of the community. For we see so by Moshe our teacher that he pained himself with the community, for it is written {Shemot 17:12}:

12But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Now did Moshe not have a pillow or cushion to sit upon {rather than a stone}? Rather, so did Moshe say: Since Israel is dwelling in pain, so will I be with them in pain.

ושמא יאמר אדם מי מעיד בי אבני ביתו וקורות ביתו של אדם הן מעידין עליו שנאמר כי אבן מקיר תזעק וכפיס מעץ יעננה:And lest a man say, "Who will testify about me?" the stones of his house and the beams of his house will testify about him, for it is written {Chabbakkuk 2:11}:

יא כִּי-אֶבֶן, מִקִּיר תִּזְעָק; וְכָפִיס, מֵעֵץ יַעֲנֶנָּה. {פ}

11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.